Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/183

 First Battle of Manassn*. 175

troons. Follow me to the firing ! " In truth, the energy and brave example of the General inspirited us, despite our well nigh exhausted condition, to arrive at the right time, at the right place, make the dash, follow it up and drive the enemy from the field. And it was the first display of the skill and bravery in battle characteristic of the Southern West Pointers. Johnston planned, Smith, Elzey and Steuart led. With the three typical regiments, at the critical juncture of the day, the Yankees were fated on that field. Jackson would gladly have led us on to Washington, and he said so, but was not permitted, nor per- haps consulted, but the fatal mistake was discovered 'ere long. And victory always followed Jackson. A word as to this a little further on.

That the loss in killed and wounded in the First Maryland was not greater was because of their promptness, energy and dash in responding to orders, and the ready skill of our leaders. A noteworthy case of a badly wounded man was that of Sergeant John B. Berryman, (a file closer) of " C " company, (first from the right), who fell simultaneously with General Smith. He kept his bed during nearly the entire war, and the ill-effects from wound never ceased until he died, on January 21, 1898, 36 years and 6 months from the day he was wounded, the anniversary of the birth of Stonewall Jackson, to whose aid Berryman was hur- rying when shot.

SMITH'S BRIGADE SAVED THE DAY.

There appears in the Confederate Veteran, August, 1906, pp. 364-65, the following: "Concerning Military Career of General J. E. Johnston, President Davis wrote, February 18, 1865: "In- deed we were saved from a fatal defeat at the First Battle of M'anassas only by the promptness of General E. Kirby Smith, who, acting without orders and moving by a change of direction, succeeded in reaching the battlefield in time to avert a disaster." Note the words "fatal defeat," etc.

STONEWALL JACKSON'S WAY.

Jackson's magnificient victory and the unparelled valor of his Stonewall Brigade seemed to be ignored. With a bullet broken finger, he was left to mutter: "With 10,000 such men I could